PODCAST BRINGS INMATES AND THEIR FAMILIES TOGETHER THROUGH A TIMELESS CHRISTMAS STORY
Hope Media Group has partnered with correctional facilities to share its redemptive podcast adaptation of ‘SCROOGE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL’, turning it into a bridge for families separated by prison walls this Christmas.
LISTEN TO ‘SCROOGE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ NOW
Houston, Texas / December 12, 2024 – ‘SCROOGE: A Christmas Carol’ podcast, the four-part audio drama presented by Hope Media Group and Compassion International, has returned for the 2024 holiday season, bringing hope and connection to families in a unique way. This year, the podcast’s impact extends far beyond last year’s chart-topping success — it’s transforming lives by bridging the gap between families separated by prison walls.
Inside two Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) facilities, inmate DJs will air ‘SCROOGE: A Christmas Carol’ on prison radio stations on Christmas Eve. Additionally, the podcast will be uploaded to all TDCJ inmate tablets across the state. This will allow inmates to listen to the podcast while their family simultaneously listens to it on radio stations in their communities. Many will share the experience by talking with their spouses and children on the phone during the podcast.
By turning this beloved classic Christmas tale into a shared family tradition, ‘SCROOGE: A Christmas Carol’ allows families to listen along to elements of joy, redemption, forgiveness and hope, even in the face of physical separation. “The holidays are the hardest time to be in prison,” according to Rosalyn Burdett, an inmate DJ at the Patrick O’Daniel Unit in Gatesville, TX. “This podcast makes it feel normal—like my family is close again, and we’re doing something meaningful together.” Burdett’s daughter, a Rice University student, echoed this sentiment: “It’s so impactful. It makes me feel like my mom is not far from home, not just for the holidays, but all year.”
Joe Paulo, the President and CEO of Hope Media Group added, “At its heart, ‘Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast’ is more than just an audio drama—it’s a movement for redemption and reconciliation. By highlighting themes of forgiveness, transformation, and hope, the podcast connects families and fosters an environment of growth and purpose regardless of our circumstances. We are extremely pleased to see how the inmates are engaging with the SCROOGE podcast and how it is bringing families together both inside and out of the correctional facilities.”
This collaboration has created a ripple effect, turning a timeless story into a transformative experience for inmates and their loved ones. Andrea Lozada, a O’Daniel Unit warden, emphasized its significance: “This initiative with Hope Media Group is bringing families together and helps people see we’re all just human, deserving of love and connection.”
The podcast itself is a reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic tale. Narrator John Rhys-Davies (Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones) brings the characters to life with his iconic voice, while the cast features an array of beloved talents, including Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings, Rudy, Stranger Things) as Scrooge, Bethany Joy Lentz (One Tree Hill, Dexter) as Elizabeth, and Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian) as the Ghost of Christmas Present.
After earning widespread acclaim in 2023—including CMB’s ‘Podcast of the Year,’ an Ambie nomination for ‘Best Performance in Audio Fiction,’ and top ratings on the Apple Podcast Charts—SCROOGE has become a beacon of inspiration. Screenwriter P.G. Cuschieri and creator/producer Mark Ramsey have masterfully infused the story with fresh elements while staying true to its timeless themes of redemption and transformation.
SCROOGE 2023 HIGHLIGHTS
- 2023 CMB Podcast of the Year
- 2023 Ambie ‘Best Performance in Audio Fiction’ Nominee
- 2023 # 1 Apple Podcast Chart: Fiction and Drama
- 2023 Premiered World Wide
- 2024 480,000 Downloads
SCREENWRITER AND PRODUCER
P.G. Cuschieri (writer)
Mark Ramsey (showrunner/producer)
Jim Young (producer)
SYNOPSIS
This four-episode adaptation of “Scrooge: A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens brings the characters we all know and love to life like never before, featuring a star-studded dramatic audio adaptation in podcast form. Ebenezer Scrooge, a self-obsessed, miserable miser of all things un-merry and un-bright, is everything Christmas isn’t. After he is visited by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, Scrooge transforms into a new man and embodies all the best parts of Christmas. Through this journey of transformation, “listeners will encounter themes of warmth, joy, mercy and hope. This fresh retelling of the holiday classic will entertain, inspire and remind you that even the hardest of hearts can find redemption. The story of Scrooge is a known commodity and has been well-loved for nearly 180 Christmases.
CAST
Sean Astin (LORD OF THE RINGS, RUDY, STRANGER THINGS) as Scrooge
John Rhys-Davies (LORD OF THE RINGS, INDIANA JONES) as Narrator
Juliet Mills (AVANTI!) as Ghost of Christmas Future
Ben Barnes (THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN) as Ghost of Christmas Present
Bethany Joy Lenz (ONE TREE HILL, DEXTER) as Elizabeth
Ryan O’Quin (BELIEVE) as Bob Cratchit
Clive Standen (VIKINGS, THE MORNING SHOW) as Fredrick
Lucy Punch (INTO THE WOODS) as Ghost of Christmas Past
Maxwell Caulfield (GREASE 2, THE COLBYS) as Jacob Marley
About Hope Media Group
Hope Media Group is a family of media brands that engage people to love Jesus, serve others, and spread Hope through radio, events, online content, and mobile apps. Its platforms include Houston-focused KSBJ, the national network of WayFM stations, the Spanish-language Christian network Vida Unida, digital content outlets NGEN Radio (Christian hip-hop and pop), Hope Nation, WAYLOUD (Christian rock), the God Listens Prayer App, and a concert and event producer, Hope Events.
Click here (https://www.hopemediagroup.com/) to learn more about the ministry.
About Compassion International
Compassion International is a child-development ministry dedicated to releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Through sponsorships and donations, they empower local churches to provide individualized and holistic care to children in poverty so they are free to learn, grow, play and dream.
About G3 Prison Ministries
G3PM mission is to give and serve, grow and disciple, and guide and mentor men and women inside prison to prepare them to be leaders in their homes (marriage), leaders in the family (parenting), leaders in their church (spiritual growth), leaders in the workplace (job skills), and leaders in their community (being a good neighbor).